Stud and like element



May 2 1939- R. w. MCLAUGHLIN, JR 2,156,347

STUD AND LIKE ELEMENT 2 Sheets-Sheet l Filed June 8, 1935 A TONEY May 2,1939- R. w. MCLAUGHLIN, JR 2,156,347

STUD AND LIKE ELEMENT Fiied June s, 1935 2 sheets-sheet 2 JNVE TokBywvgzwgw/L Amb EY I I Patented May 1939 STUD AND LIKE ELEMENT meer: w.Meunghim, r., New York. N. Y.,

signor to American -N. Y., a corporation of ouses, Inc., New York,

laware application June s, 1935, serial No. 125,581

11 Claiml,

` This invention relates to improvements in studs and like elements andto improvements lin cooperating wall panel elements, and more especiallyrelates to the employment of such structures' f! in connection withprefabricated houses and prefabricated .building construction.

An object ofthe invention is to provide cooperating studand wall panelelements which may be readily formed and economically manu- 16 factured;and which lwhen embodied in a building structure require a minimum oflabor to erect.

A further object is to provide by the use of the improved stud and wallelements of the inw vention a building structure which may be readilyaltered as to form or changed in plan or dimension.

A still further object of the invention is the provision of astud'element having a cross section roughly that of a right-angledtriangle, and the provision of cooperating wall panel elements so shapedas to provide a maximum of insulation when formedinto a buildingstructure with said studs. l

'A still further object is to provide in a prefabricated house structureemploying wall panels of substantially uniform width supported by studelements, studs and cooperating wall panels of such conformation andshape that the space be- 0 tween the outer surfaces of adjacent wallpanels is reduced to a minimum, whereby the cost of cover plates orbattens for the joints between adjacent wall panels is reduced to aminimum and the insulating properties of the structure generally throughthe studs and adjacent elements is substantially increased.

A still further object of the invention is to provide a frame and moreparticularly a stud construction for a. prefabricated house which is 40adapted to have outside corners, inside corners and like sections and toreceive and secure co operating closure or Wall panel elements without ethe necessity of cutting or. shaping the closure elements.

Other objects of the invention will in part be obvious and will in partappear hereinafter.

The invention accordingly comprises an article of manufacture possessingthe features, properties, and the relation of elements which will beexemplified in the article hereinafter described and the scope of theapplication of which will be indicated in the claims.

For a fuller understanding of the nature and objects of the inventionreference should be had 55 to the .followingdetailed description takenin of a wall thereof. 'I'he wall panels are preferably (o1. isa-s4) yconnection with the accompanying drawings, ln which:

Flg. 1 is a. view in vertical section showing the v manner in which thestud assemblies may be connected to the sill member and the manner offastening the sill to the foundation;

Fig. 2 is a cross-sectional view of the structureshown in Fig. 1 alongthe line 2-2;

Fig. 3 is a similar sectional view of the structure adapted for use onan outside corner of a dwelling;

Fig. 4 is a detailed cross-sectional view showing the construction ofone of the vertical frame stud assemblies and the manner of supportingthe wail panels thereby;

Fig.'5 is a similar view showing the corner post construction for anoutside corner and the manner of supporting the wall panels or sectionsthereby;

Fig. 6 is a similar view showing the stud and wall panel assembly at aninside corner;

Fig. '7 is a similar view showing a stud and wall panel assembly where aT connection is to be made; and p y Figs. 8, 9.and 10 are respectivelyviews in cross section similar to Figs. 4, 5 and 6 and showing a typicalwall stud structure, an outside corner structure, and an inside cornerstructure where a modified form of the invention is employed.

In general the invention contemplates the use of wall panels of uniformwidth and shape to the end that any panel may be employed at any portionof the building structure, whether it be adjacent a corner of thestructure or in the center laminated structures having an outer surfaceof weather-resistant material, such for example as 'an asbestoscomposition and having an interior battens are also provided as coveringplates for the vertical joints between adjacent wall panel elements andat corners. A s shown, different shapes of battens may be employed atthe corners and to cover the joints on the straight wall surfaces.

It is an object of this invention to provide a structure wherein thebattens may be reduced to a. minimum width, especially where they areemployed to cover the jointsin a at wall surface. Wherever employed thebattens are arranged to tightly seal with the side closure elements andto protect the frame against the inuences of weather. 'Ihe battens arepreferably so shaped as to provide dead air spaces beneath them. Thesespaces may, if desired, be packed with insulating material.

In the embodiment of the invention shown in the drawings andparticularly Figs. l. to 7 inclusive thereof, 20 represents generallythe foundation,which may be of any form,preferably concrete or concreteblocks. Suitable sill-supporting bolts 2| may be provided in thefoundation and by these bolts the sills 22 may be rigidly fastenedthereto. The sill preferably comprises an L-shaped metallic member, asshown in Fig. 1, the vertical part 22 of the angle being disposed towardthe interior of the structure.

In Figs1 to 3 inclusive there is shown a preferred structure formounting and afdxing the.

stud elements to the sill. The stud elements preferably employed are soshaped as to give a. roughly triangular cross section to the completedstud where the stud is employed as in Fig. 4, for example, in a flatwall surface.

With reference to Figs. 2 and 4, the stud elements 23 are bolted to asupporting V-shaped member 2t, which is in'turn welded to the sill 22.As shown, the studs 23 are fastened to the member 213 by the bolts 25. Asimilar construction may be .employed at the upper end of the studelements to secure a rigid positioning of the elements Within the frameof the building.

The stud elements 23 are preferably provided with an extending element`or lip 26 formed by Welding to the stud element a at metallic strip. Asshown in Fig. 4, this extension 2G acts as an abutment against which thewall panels 21 may be rmly held in a manner hereinafter to be described.

It is to be understood that the element 2li need be only of such heightas to permit a firm attachment With the stud elements 23. This isindicated by the dotted line 21| in Fig. l, which is intended torepresent the upper edge of the element 28, which is shown as ofsubstantially the same height as the extension 22 of the sill.

lin Figs. 3 and 5 a typical stud member assembly is shown in connectionwith the outside corner construction. As there shown the stud elements28 may be bolted to extensions of the vertical parts 22' of the sills22, these extensions being bent and if desired welded together and tothe top of the main body of the sill, as shown for example in Fig. 3.The stud elements 28 employed in the corner construction shown in to thethickness of the combined sill extensions.

'I'he tops of the said extensions lie below the cross sectional plane inwhich Fig. 5 is taken, the plane of Fig. 5 being above the plane of,Fig. 3.

In Fig. 6 a suitable stud construction for an inside corner is shown.I-Iere two roughly triangular stud elements are employed so mounted andwelded to the sill as to provide a roughly triangular stud assembly, thehypothenuse of which faces outwardly toward the exterior walls.

In Fig. 7 is shown a typical stud assembly adapted for use where `aT-intersection of three walls arises. It will be noted that in thisfigure the elements 29 and 26 correspond roughly in general contour tothe elements 23 and 26 of Fig. 4, while the element 30 correspondsroughly to one of the elements 28 of Fig. 5. The elements 29 and 30comprise the stud proper in Fig. 7. A filler plate 3| may be assembledwith one of the'elements 29 in the manner shown in order that a smooth,unbroken interior surface may be presented and in order that adequatesupport may be presented for the intermediate wall panel designated as32.

In all of the stud assemblies shown in Figs. 4 to 7 inclusive, theexterior joint between adjacent wall sections is covered by anornamental batten designated throughout as 33. In every instance thisbatten acts not only to close the joint, but acts as a means to forcethe wall panels held and supported by the stud assemblies into closeen#gagement with ange or lip elements or abutting means designatedthroughout as 23, which are associated with the studs and whichcooperate with the battensto ilx the position of thewall elements and toeffect a seal between the wall elements and the stud.V The stud elements23, as shown for example in Fig. 4, may have portions |23 positionedsubstantially perpendicular to the general plane of the wall and to theelement 26. The stud assembly, as shown in Fig. 4, then presents aplurality of trough-like surfaces, the portions 26 and` |23 comprisingthe sides or arms of the troughs, these portions meeting the bases ofthe troughs preferably at angles of 135. A

The battens are preferably provided with gripping teeth 31, which maypenetrate slightly into the outer covering of the wall panels and thusaid in effecting a tight seal and a rigid positioning of the panels. Thebattens are held in close engagement with the outer surfaces of adjacentwall panels by any suitable means. In the embodiment of the inventionshown in Figs. 4 to 7 inclusive, this is accomplished by a threadedbolt, as for example 38 in Fig. 4, which may be'caused to engage avcontinuous extruded thread 39 on the inner face of the batteri. The boltpreferably is caused to traverse the stud assembly at any point. In thecorner assemblies, for example those shown in Figs. 5 and 6, the spacingof the stud elements provides a suitable channel to receive the threadedbolt, and the lips 26 in Fig. 5 and extensions of those lips in Fig. 6serve as seating means to receive the head of the bolt.

In the typical side Wall construction shown, for example, in Figs. 4 and7, the bolt may be adapted to traverse the entire stud assembly (seeFig. 4) or a portion only thereof (see Fig. 7). In either case thespaced stud elements 23 in Fig. 4 and 29 in Fig. 7 provide a slot toreceive the bolt.

It will be obvious that other means of tightly holding the battensagainst the Wall elements 40 may be employed. For example, a toggle boltstructure, such as is shown in my copending application Serial No.724,469, filed May-8, 1934, for Studding construction for prefabricatedhouses and buildings, may be employed to advantage. l

It will be noted that the stud structures described are preferably ofsuch shape, e. g., troughshaped and so positioned that when the wallpanels are brought into close contact with them, as shown in Figs. 4 to7 inclusive, the greater portion of the plane of contact between the endof the wall elements and the studs is at an angle preferably of about 45to the exterior wall face. The wall elements are preferably cut away, asat 4I, for a considerable portion of their thickness, preferably abouttwo-thirds, so that it may be said that the ends of the wall panels arebeveled. The base of each trough-shaped portion of the stud assembly isadapted to receive the beveled or cut-away surface of a wall closureelement. The outer and inner faces of each wall panel are preferablyparallel. That part 228 of the end of each panel which is not cut awayor beveled is preferably perpendicular to the main faces of the panel.Where the abutting face of the wall panel comes in contact with a boltor rivet used in positiomng the stud elements and fastening them tosupporting elements welded to the sill, the panel may be cut away, asindicated at 42 in Fig. 5, to provide a notch or recess to receive thebolt.

So also where necessary and Where the stud elements are spaced apart, asin Figs. 5 and 6 for example, filler elements, not shown, may beinserted between the opposed faces of the studs to increase the rigidityof the structure.

The normal dead air space between the covering batten and the stud andwall elements, and

shown for example as 43, may if desired be filled with anyheat-insulating material, such as mineral Wool. The hollow space Withinthe stud structure itself may be similarly insulated or may remain openfor use .as a conduit for electric wiring, etc.

If desired, the interior surface overlying the connecting bolts,corners, etc., may be sparkled and suitably nished.

In general, the upright stud elements are made preferably of rolledsteel and the cooperating battens of some weather-resistant material,such for example as aluminum. As it is an object of prefabricated housedesign to reduce the cost of the elements entering into the structure-toa minimum, it is distinctly important that the size of the battons bekept small and that a minimum amount of rolled steel be employed in thestud structure. It is a distinct advantage of the invention disclosedherein that the generally triangular stud assembly shape providesadequate strength and rigidity and at the same time substantiallyreduces the amount of material employed in the stud construction. It isa further distinct advantage that the stud structure and wall panelstructure cooperate to provide a narrow external joint, and hence thecovering batten may be reduce'd to a minimum Width.

It is a further advantage of the structure that in every instance theexterior portions of the Wall panels are caused to closely approach, sothat only narrow sections through the stud assembly are left unprotectedby Wall panel insulation. In every type of wall construction shown,except possibly the inside corner construction shown in Fig. 6, theinsulating properties of the walbpanels are utilized to a maximum with acorrespondingly increased insulating efficiency over the structureshown, for example, in my copending Yapplication Serial No. 624,469.Even in so far as the inside corner is concerned (Fig. 6), the loss ininsulating eici'ency is slight, if any.

The structure which has been described is inexpensive, durable, strong,rigid, readily assembled, and possesses high insulating properties.

Itwill be obvious that the structure described is susceptible ofsubstantial modification and var-- lation without departing from theinvention. In Figs. 8, 9 and 10 are shown three sections, respectively,a typical straight wall stud connection, il-

lustrating a modified form of the invention, an

outside corner connection, and an inside corner connection, illustratinga modified form of the invention. In these gures, 80 representsgenerally the stud elements, 8| interior cover plates which may besnap-fastened upon the stud elements, 82 the exterior battens which asshown may take the form of aluminum covered steel platesdrilled andtapped in the shop before assembly, and 83 lthe threaded bolt holdingthe battens into contact with the wall panel elements.

It will be obvious also that in any event. the battens or coveringelements may be modified so that the bolt which holds them against thewall elements may extend completely through the battens, in the mannershown, for example, in my copending application Serial No. 724,469. Withsuch a structure it is unnecessary to provide an interior access `to theopening within the stud structure and the cover plates 8l `in Figs. 8 to10 inclusive may then be converted into structural stud elements weldeddirectly to the other stud elements.

It will be understood that floor construction, ceiling construction,etc., have been omitted, but that any suitable floor, ceiling, roof, andinterior partition construction may be employed.

Since certain changes may be made in the above article and differentembodiments of the invention could be made without departing from thescope thereof, it is intended that all matter contained in the abovedescription er shown in the accompanying drawings shall be interpretedas illustrative and not in a limiting sense.

It is also to be understood that the following claims are intended tocover all of the generic and specific features of the'invention hereindescribed, and all statements of the scope of the invention which, as amatter of language, might be said to fall therebetween. y

Having described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secureas Letters Patent is:

l. In a device of the character described, Wall elements, vertical studelements comprising a plurality of Wall engaging surfaces interceptingat an angle of approximately 135, and mechanical means cooperatingtherewith for holding the said wall elements in close Contact with saidsurfaces, said wall elements being substantially nonpenetrated by saidstud elements or said mechanical means, every said wall element beingadapted to engage the stud element adjacent thereto in the mannerdescribed.

2. 4A stud assembly comprising a plurality of spaced stud elements, eachof said elements comprising means adapted to form a shallow, troughlikewall-element-engaging portion, those means forming the sides of saidtrough being adapted to receive respectively an end and a side surfaceof a cooperating Wall element, and those means forming the baseof saidtrough being adapted to receive a surface of said Wall element whichintersects the said end and side surfaces thereof at angles other than90.

3. A stud assembly comprising a plurality of spaced stud elements, eachof said elements cornprising means adapted to form a shallow, troughlikewall-element-engaging portion, those means forming the sides of saidtrough being adapted to receive respectively an end 'and a side surfaceof .a cooperating wall element, and those means forming the base of seidtrough being adapted to receive a surface of said wall element whichintersects the said end and side surfaces thereof at angles ofapproximately 135.

4. In a device of the character described, a plurality of wall panelelements adapted to abut against cooperating stud elements, the abuttingv ends of every pair of adjacent wall elements being so formed as toprovide a plurality of lsurfaces intersecting at an angle ofsubstantially and a plurality of surfaces positioned in substantialparallelism, the stud elements being designed to present surfacescooperating with said intersecting and said parallel slu'faces to holdand po` sition said wall elements, and each said stud element beingprovided with means engaging a still further surface of a wall elementto resist movement thereof. v

5. In a building construction, in combination, vertical stud elements,each of said elements comprising a plurality of wall-engaging surfacesintersecting at an angle of approximately wall' elements, each of saidelements having adjacent stud-engaging surfaces intersecting at an angleof approximately 135, and mechanical means cooperating with said walland said stud elements for holding said wall elements in close contactwith the said intersecting surfaces of said stud elements.

6. In a building construction, in combination, wall elements, studassemblies positioned between each pair of adjacent wall elements, eachof said assemblies comprising a plurality of vertical stud members, eachmember being provided with a plurality of wall-engaging surfaces, thesaid plurality of surfaces of each member being adapted to engageadjacent intersecting surfaces of a wall element, which surfacesintersect at an angle of approximately 135, any Wall element beingadapted to engage any stud member.

7. In combination, a pair'of Wall elements, cooperating stud and battenelements, an abutting portion of said stud element being adapted toengage a surface of one of said Wall elements and said batten elementbeing adapted to engage another surface of said one Wall element, saidstudengaged and said batten-engaged surfaces being spaced and parallel,another abutting portion of said stud element being adapted to engage asurface of the other of said wall elements and said batten element beingadapted to engage another surface of said other Wall element, saidstudengaged and said batten-engaged surfaces of said other wall elementbeing spaced and parallel, said batten-engaged surface of said one wallelement extending substantially beyond the stud-engaged surface of saidone wall element, said battenengaged surface of said other Wall elementextending substantially beyond the stud-engaged surface of said otherwall element, said batten and said abutting portions of said studholding said Wall elements under compression said wall elements havingconverging surfaces in engagement with said stud element, said battenelement being the principal means for holding said wall element to saidstud element, said batten and said converging surfaces acting to cause asubstantial compressive force to be exerted in the plane of the wallelement for bracing successive stud and wall elements.

8. In combination, a pair of wall elements, cooperating stud and battenelements, an abutting portion of said stud element being adapted toengage a surface of one of said wall elements and said batten elementbeing adapted to engage another surface of said one wall element, saidstudengaged and 'said batten-engaged surfaces being spaced and parallel,another abutting portion of said stud element being adapted to engage asurface of the other of said wall elements and said batten element beingadapted to engage another of said other wall element, said stud-fengagedand said batten-engaged surfaces of said other wall elements beingspaced and parallel, said batten-engaged surface of said one wall ele-.ment extending substantially beyond the studengaged surface of said onewall element, said vbatten-engaged surface of said other wall elementextending substantially beyond the studengaged surface of said otherwail element, said stud element being provided with a surface adapted toengage at least a portion of that edge of said one wall element whichportion lies between the batten-engaged and stud-engaged surfaces ofsaid one wall element, said stud element being provided with a surfaceadapted to engage at least a portion of that edge of said other wallelement which portion lies between the batten-engaged and stud-engagedsurfaces of said other wall element, and means to cause said batten andsaid abutting portions of said-stud to hold said wall elements undercompression said wall elements having converging surfaces in engagementwith said stud element, said batten element' being the principal meansfor holding said wall element to said stud element, said batten and saidconverging surfaces acting to cause a substantial compressive force tobe exerted in the plane of the wall element for bracing successive studand wall elements.

9. In combination, a wall element, a stud element, and a batten, meansto clamp the batten against the wall element, abutting means on the studelement cooperating with the batten to hold the wall element rigidly inplace, the wall element being held under compression between the battenand the abutting means, a portion only of that surface of the Wallelement, intersecting the surfaces thereof engaged by the batten and theabutting means, lying in a plane which intersects the planes formed bythe surfaces engaging the batten and abutting means at an angle otherthan 90, the stud comprising a surface adapted to engage thelast-mentioned surface of said wall element, a second Wall element, saidbatten and said abutting means each extending, on a side of thecombination opposite from the other, from a surface of said first wallelement to a surface of said second Wall element, said batten being astructural component of-said combination and giving said combinationsubstantial structural strength.

10. In combination, a wall element, cooperating stud and battenelements, an abutting portion oi said stud element being adapted toengage a predetermined surface of said wall element, said batten elementbeing adapted to engage an op# posite parallel surface of said Wallelement, the batten-engaging surface of said wall element extendingsubstantially beyond the surface thereof in engagement with the abuttingportion of said stud whereby the width of the batten element may bemaintained at a minimum, the batten element cooperating with theabutting portion of thestud element to hold the Wall panel undercompression, a second wall element, said batten and said abuttingportion of said stud element each extending, on a side of thecombination opposite from the other, from a surface of saidfirst-wall'element to a surface of said second wall element, said battenbeing a structural component of said combination and giving saidcombination substantial structural strength, said Wall elements havingconverging surfaces in engagement with said stud element, said hattenelement being a principal means for holding said wall element to saidstud element, said batten and said converging surfaces acting to cause asubstantial compressive force to be exerted in the plane of the wallelement for bracing successive studs and wall elements.

11. In combination, a wall element, cooperating stud and battenelements, an abutting portion of said stud element being adapted toengage a predetermined surface of said wall eiement, said batten elementbeing adapted to engage an opposite parallel surface of said wallelement, the hatten-engaging surface of said wall element extendingsubstantially beyond the surface thereof which is in engagement with theabutting portion of said stud, whereby the width of the hatten elementmay be maintained at a minimum, the stud element being provided with a'surface adapted to engage at least a portion of that edge of the wallelement, which portion lies between the first-mentioned batteri-engagingland stud-engaging surfaces of said elements, the batten elementcooperating with the abutting portion of the stud element to hold thewall panel under compression, a second wall element, said batten andsaid abutting portion of said stud element each extending, on a side ofthe combination opposite from the other, from a. surface of said firstwall element to a surface of said second wall element, said hatten beinga structural component of said combination and giving said combinationsubstantial structural strength, said wall elements having convergingsurfaces in engagement with said stud element, said batten element beinga principal means for holding said wall element to said stud element,said batten and said converging surfaces acting to cause a sumtantialcompressive force to be exerted in the plane of the wall element forbracing successive studs and wall elements.

ROBERT W. MCLAUGHLIN. JR.

